GUN: Halcyon
by Eonneo
Summary: It's been two years since Colton White killed Thomas Magruder. Now, he lives off the land, selling the fruits of his labours to the towns he visits as he travels. One of these towns is a bustling place named Hitchens. As he does business within it, he finds a multitude of dark secrets hidden underneath its charming front.
1. Chapter 1

Rocking steadily along the river called Al made Colton White uneasy. Although he could admittedly compare it to the feel of traveling horseback, with a chilled wind rushing past his head and the footing underneath unsteady, the steamboat just didn't offer the same strength and control as he traveled.

It had been two years since Cole had killed a man named Thomas Magruder, a nasty confederate veteran who had let greed corrupt him. He had tried to lead a gang of fools to find a legendary city of gold, and he finally succeeded, but it was at the cost of his own life, which he paid directly to Cole himself.

Trees and the occasional small village passed by on the riverside, the steamboat filled to the brim with rich folks and poor men alike. Even with such an array of folks, something kept him from feeling like he fit in with any of them. He hadn't found a single place to belong since killing Magruder.

The past two years after the incident had been filled with a little of nothing. It was different to hunt alone, though, as before his trouble with Magruder reared its filthy head, Cole lived off the land with his father, Ned White. Ned was ruthlessly killed by one of Magruder's posse members named Reed, though, initiating most of his need for revenge. However, avenging his father didn't make hunting any less lonesome.

"Excuse me, sir, but I hear you're a man who sells prime fur. Might that be true?" asked an older lass clothed in a ruby red dress, taking him out of his thoughts.

Before even speaking to her, Cole knew these were the kind of individuals who bought his furs for fancy clothes and decorations.

"You hear right, miss. What might you be lookin' for?" Cole answered, dropping his bag of furs onto the wooden deck of the boat.

"Oh, I do hear wolf fur makes the most cozy and beautiful of coats. Would you happen to have any?"

Cole rustled in his pack for a moment before pulling out a large gray and white pelt.

"I think I have just the thing," he teased.

The fur shimmered in the early morning sunlight, the gray appearing more like silver.

He knew she wouldn't appreciate the story behind the fur, which had been a Hell of a kill, taking seven arrows to the head before it finally died from bleeding out.

"It's simply gorgeous! I must have it! What are you asking for it?"

Cole snickered.

"Seven dollars, or some gold. You now how it goes." Cole decided to charge a dollar for each arrow it took to kill the beast. That didn't even count in all the time he spent skinning and tanning the hide to the best of his abilities.

The woman seemed a little distressed, but she didn't argue, a smile forming from her rose red lips.

"Gold it'll be," she replied, taking a small pouch from her breast pocket. She then pulled a small piece of gold from it and held it out to him.

Cole's lip twitched and he looked upon the gold with scrutiny. After a moment of consideration, he blinked and gave a disheartened look to the woman.

"M'am, this is fool's gold. Pyrite, is the real term. It idn't worth a thing."

The woman gasped and retreated her hand as if he had snapped at her.

"How dare you! Are you accussin' me of somethin'?" she demanded.

"I ain't sayin' anything like that. Lots of good folk get fooled by this stuff. That's why it's called fool's gold. I'll still take cash if you got it," Cole offered, but the woman was furiously shaking her head and had no interest.

"No thank you! Good day!" she huffed, stomping away from Cole, who shrugged. He knelt down to place the fur back in his bag.

"Now hold up, you said seven dollars? I'll take it off your hands, if you don't mind," a man with a wired bear and spurred boots asked.

Cole nodded and gave an 'Mhm', standing back up with the fur in hand.

The man pulled seven dollars from his pocket and gave it to Cole, who was impressed that the man had pulled through. A lot of people, as had happened with the woman, talked a lot of big talk regarding his furs.

"Here you go, then. Much obliged, sir," Cole said, tipping his hat to the man.

"Oh, no, thank you. I can only imagine how hard it was to take this one down. Wovles are getting' harder to kill anymore. Anyway, the name's Carter. What brings you out this way?" Carter asked, throwing a hand out in front of him.

"Cole," he replied, shaking hands with the man after he placed the cash in his vest pocket. "I'm headen' to Hitchens. Hear it's got a nice market, so I'm hoping I can get rid of some of these things"

"Is that right? I'm headin' there, too! Got family down there. You're right about the market; they've got a whole lotta' trading that way, thanks to the trading post."

Cole leaned against the metal railing of the steamboat, a thin mist from the river brushing against his face as he listened. In the distance, he saw a large boardwalk, and knew it had to be Hitchens.

"I certainly hope it's worth my troubles," he mumbled. _Lord knows I've had enough of them._

"I'm sure you'll do fine, friend! Maybe I'll see you there! Anyways, thanks for the fur," Carter hooted before walking off to talk with other folks on the boat. Cole felt the man was nice enough, but the need to be weary of strangers was an important one.

The boat reached the boardwalk and docked, most of the passengers disembarking. Along the riverbank and by the boardwalk were stagecoaches, awaiting their respectful clients. Up from the boardwalk was a large wheat field, a path down the middle. At the very end near where the sun was rising was Hitchens.

Cole began walking, stagecoaches passing him with ease. They were filled with pompous folks in dresses and suits, fanning themselves as if the morning sun were boiling. Cole found no trouble going down the dirt path, the walk shorter than it appeared from the riverside.

When he made it to the front of the riggidy looking down, some of the stagecoaches hadn't even made it yet, the few that had being emptied. The town front was brimming with life, the store fronts open and a few people shouting their great deals down the alleys.

The buildings of Hitchens looked old and worn, but the town itself was large. The main shops were all in a large cross shape, with a multitude of houses and smaller businesses dotting around behind the main shops. Every corner, he saw life, and it was busier than he was accustomed to.

"Oh, dear! There's the trading post! I better get my ma' something antique or she'll have my skin on her wall!" a lady hushed to her presumed husband, and the man nodded as if he were paying attention and both of them set off to the farthest right corner of the road.

Cole followed them. The building was large, its doors propped wide open to allow an easy flow of traffic. Inside appeared disorganized, tables and booths scattered around. Food, antiques and other junk lined them, and Cole wasn't sure who was selling and who was buying.

At the back of the post was a small office, the word "Manager" Scrawled across the top of the door. Cole figured that would be the best place to inquire about selling, and the door was open, so pushing through the crowd, he went to it.

He gave a curt knock on the open door, trying to avoid looking inside until he heard a booming "Come in!". Cole obliged, ducking under the door slightly. Sitting at a desk in the small room was a large, older man with short curly gray hair and a short beard. A cigarette was resting on his lips as he scrawled away at some papers.

"What can I do for ya'?" he asked, sitting back in his wooden chair.

"I'm interested in selling," Cole quietly said, feeling a sense of dread he couldn't understand.

"What might ya' be selling?"

"Furs and bones," he answered.

The man stood up, slamming a hand no the table. Cole didn't move.

"I'll be! Where ya' been, son? We ain't had furs here in weeks! Had a guy that use to sell 'em, but his ol' lady had a baby and he's been out since." The man stood up and dusted some cigarette ashes from his bulky brown overcoat.

"Name's Auger Doucet! Welcome to the Hitchens' trading post!"

"Cole." The two quickly shook hands, the man's grip powerful against Cole's own.

"Tell you what. You're new here, and we've had folks askin' about furs forever. Mostly them rich ones, the tourist, but business is business! People even sell fur clothes here, but I guess them types of people prefer to have their own experts do it."

"Now, if you do good business here, and you wanna' stay, we'll talk further arrangements."

"That's mighty kind of you," Cole answered

The man started walking out of the office, and Cole followed him, watching him walk almost as if he were prancing, as if he had everything in the world to be proud of underneath his boots.

"Well, I gotta' make sure my people are okay and have what they need in good ol' Hitchens, and right now, that's you! Go ahead and set up here at this booth, and we'll check on you later," Auger said, stopping at an empty booth near the opposite end of his office.

Cole nodded and gave the man another thanks before he started setting up. Auger went off to check on other patrons of the post, and as Cole laid out his furs, he hoped he wouldn't have to speak to the man for a long time.

He had two more wolf pelts, a deer skin, three coyote skins, an elk skin, the skin of a bison cut into four pieces, a rough quail skin, and two mink skins he had been given from working for an older women a long time back. He also had the skull of a wolf he had found and not killed, some deer antlers, hooves, and most notably a bear skull. It was a lot he needed to sell, but he hoped Hitchens would have the kind of people that found use in all parts of the animal.

"First time here?" an elderly woman at the booth next to him asked. Her hair was short and a shiny silver, her clothing a sack like dress. Her table was lined with stones and antiques.

"Yes, m'am. I'm just trying to see where it takes me," Cole said, leaning back on a booth corner and watching business unfold within the post.

"Those are just beautiful. Did you kill and tan them all yourself?" she asked.

"All but the minks. You interested in any of them? Cole asked.

"I might be. It just depends on how much I sell today," the old woman chuckled.

As she said that, a young boy and his mother walked up to the booth and began haggling with the old woman about some dishes. It was then that Cole finally had his own customer. It was a young looking woman who looked like a hunter, her outfit made of leather and furs. She had short black hair that was pressed back by a tied strip of a flour sack.

"Is that a bear skull?" she asked in an unfamiliar accent, tapping her finger near the large piece.

"Yes, it is. Killed it myself some time ago."

"Really?" she asked, straightening her back in some awkward manner. "Did it attack you?"

Cole nodded, her interest sparking his own interest. He picked up the head, its large canines stuck in an everlasting grin.

"Sure did. Was hunting coyotes a few months back, and I didn't find any coyotes but this fella' sure did find me. Was a big grizzly, claws like scythes. I was being quiet of course, tryna' hunt, but this thing was quieter. And before I could turn around, it was on me."

Cole hadn't told the story in quite a while, and he would have stopped at that point any other time, but the farmer seemed genuinely interested. He hoped his story would make her more likely to buy it.

"My shot gun was knocked from my hands, and I thought that beast had me. I was smaller than it, though, and was able to get myself free before its claws came down on my neck. I grabbed my gun, and after more shots than I can remember, it went down. Right here, you can see where I hit it," Cole said, pointing to a few small holes in the top of its head. The farmer nodded in amazement.

"Seems like such a waste to sell it, then! But, since you are, what're you asking for it?"

"Five dollars-" Cole began.

"Gun! What might you be doin'? If Auger sees you here, your hide will be on that man's booth!" the older woman asked.

"I'm shoppin', granny! My money is as good as anybody's! Why, you got something good, too?" the farmer laughed.

"Well, I guess you're right. You won't know what I got if you don't come and look!"

The farmer looked back to the skull, still in Cole's hands, and sighed.

"I'll take it, buddy," she said, as if Cole had been trying to haggle with her. She handed him five dollars and he handed her the skull. When it was within her hands, she opened and closed its jaws a few times, nodding her thanks to him. He watched her step over to the elderly woman's booth, holding the skull against her side.

The two talked for a while, and in that time, Cole managed to sell a coyote fur, a piece of the bison pelt, and he traded his two minks for a bit of gold. He was amazed at how well he had done, and hoped that by the end of the week, he'd have his whole stock sold out.

"Now, I need this, gran1 One dollar, and that's it!" the farmer girl yelled. When she saw peering eyes, she hushed her voice. "One dollar."

"Three, and that's final!" the old woman argued.

"One now, and I'll give you some vegetables from our harvest when the time comes. You know where the farm is, and you know you'll get 'em!" the farmer girl offered.

Cole could see the old woman weigh the offer for a moment, then she nodded.

"Fine, but I get the best picks!" she spat.

"Yeah, you ornery thing," the farmer sighed.

The girl and the lady exchanged their fare – cash for a small bottle – and parted their ways. He was a little curious at what item could cause such a rukus between the two, but he ignored his curiosity, hoping to sell more of his own items before the post closed.

He didn't, however, and towards late noon everyone was beginning to close up their stalls. He decided to do the same, taking down all he had left. As he put them in his bag, Auger walked by with a man at his side.

"You said you saw her here?" he asked the man at his side in a hushed tone.

"Mhm. Princess told me."

"Well, find her before she leaves town – if she hasn't already. And make sure she's alive, Grayson," Auger ordered. The man named Grayson nodded in obedience and hurried out of the post.

"Ah, Mr. Cole! How was your day?" Auger asked. Cole had tried to pack his bag and leave before the man had noticed him, but as he threw his bag on his back, he was caught.

"I did just fine. I reckon I'll be back tomorrow," Cole wagered, and Auger laughed.

"Wonderful! And since you seem new around here, you ought to hit up the bar! Get you a nice drink and see what tomorrow brings! I'll see you then!" Auger bellowed, the sound almost forced. He gave Cole a pat on the shoulder before he, too, left the post.

Cole walked outside and looked around at what Hitchens offered. Lots of restaurants and bars, giving him plenty of choices. He decided on the bar where the most people seemed to be heading.

It was a simple bar with the name 'Rust', and rightfully so, the front practically falling apart. The townsfolk seemed to flock to it, though, and Cole decided he would trust it.

Inside sat all sorts of people, from the rich to the poor and even a few trollops. Cole took a seat at the bar itself, letting his back rest from the heavy bag.

"What'll it be?" the bartender asked.

"Whiskey," Cole replied. In short time, he had downed the shot quickly. It burned as it went down, cheap and far from smooth, but it did the job for him.

"Well, I'll be. You're already hittin' the bar?" You must've done mighty fine here."

Cole arched back to see Carter, the man from the boat, taking seat next to him. He had the largest, most ridiculous cowboy hat Cole had seen, but he wore it well.

"I guess so. Hitchens idn't a bad little place."

"That is sure true. Got rid of any more of them furs?" Carter pressed.

"Quite a few, and hopin' for more tomorrow."

"That fur I got from you made a nice present for my brother and his wife. Say he's makin' a blanket out of it for the winter." Carter asked for some beer from the bartender.

The two sat in silence for a while, Cole taking in the idle guffaws of the patrons aroudn him. The bar was bustling, and it made him just a little uneasy.

"Say, can you tell me anything about that Auger fellow that runs the trading post?" Cole asked, getting another shot of whiskey.

"Auger Doucet? He's an odd fellow. Ain't much to look at, but he sure knows how to do business. All about the money, even though he's got plenty of it. Just a businessman," Carter assured.

"Seems like he's a little shady, to me."

"Auger's always been a little out there, lookin' for something. Money, items, people. Whatever keeps him busy and helps keep his status in Hitchens." Carter took a long sip of his beer. "Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear!"  
Cole didn't have time to ask as Auger lumbered through the door of the bar. A few folks hushed up, a short wave of awkward silence echoing on the bar's wooden walls, but most ignored the large fellow. Slowly, he made his way to the bar, stopping to talk to just a few people.

"Here he is, lookin' for somethin' now. Wonder what is is," Carter said, more to himself than Cole.

Auger finally made his way to the bar, where without hesitation, he walked behind the counter. The bartender didn't appear too startled by his action, and none of the other occupants seemed to care, either.

Auger leaned in towards the bartender and began to whisper, Cole hardly catching his words.

"Kay...Pactolus..."

The bartender nodded, his eyes wide as if he'd seen the Devil himself. He pointed a shaky finger towards a corner of the bar, leading Cole and Auger's eyes both to follow.

Only one person Cole could identify was the farmer from the post who had bought the bear skull. She sat alone, tapping her finger next to a beer bottle.

Before Cole could look back, Auger was walking towards that direction. Cole only watched in curiosity as he stopped at her table, leaning against it with his own curiosity. He said something to her, but Cole couldn't hear him. She only shook her head in reply, taking small sips of her beer.

Auger's audacious smile faded, and his face scrunched in disgust.

"I know already. Now, this can go the easy way, or the hard way, and let me assure you, miss, that I'm okay with either."

The farmer laughed and leaned in her chair.

"Or what, Auger? You gonna' kill me?" she teased.

"If you don't cooperate, you're gonna' wish I'd killed you," Auger threatened, the words hushing most of the bar.

The farmer sighed, holding her beer bottle to her lips for a moment. She twitched her upper lip, downed the rest and stood up. Auger crossed his arms and nodded toward the crowd. Cole looked to see where he might be nodding, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Well then, I best kill you first, shouldn't I, Mr. Doucet?" the farmer said. She reared her right hand back, a tight grip on the beer bottle, and though Auger was larger than her, she smashed that brown bottle across his face, shattering it. He stumbled back, specks of blood falling to the ground. Cole slid off his seat, and the bar gave a collective gasp before hushing back up.

"You good or nothin' whore!" Auger hollered. "Halier, get this bitch outta' here!"

A scrawny fellow, smaller than Cole himself, stepped from the crowd. He had a pistol in hand, but he didn't even have it aimed at the farmer.

"That there's the deputy," Carter said.

"Bet he keeps the peace real easy," Cole joked Carter didn't reply.

"Auger, look what you've done, here. You've ruined everyone's good time!" the farmer laughed.

Auger rubbed his face vigorously, blood smearing on his outfit.

"Only thing been ruined is your chance of getting' out of her alive, miss," he assured under his pain.

Halier, the deputy, placed his gun back in its holster. In a quick leap, he was on the farmer, his hands around her throat in a choak hold. They struggled for a moment, he bar in a hushed enthrallment at the ordeal.

As they struggled, Cole was amazed at the stamina both of them had. Every time Halier thought he had secured the farmer, she wriggled free, her small size her best defense. Halier did get wise at her last attempt to fall under his arm, and kept tight. Cole admitted to himself he was impressed with her next move as she smashed her head back into the deputy's face.

"My nose!" Halier wailed, both his hands releasing the girl.

The farmer used the distraction to trip Holier, not before snatching his gun from its holster. It hadn't been properly secured, and Cole, just for a moment, questioned the deputy's competence.

Auger grunted, but he held his hands up in compliance as the farmer held the gun out to him. Holier kept his hands over his bruising face.

"If I see you again, Auger, then may the Lord have mercy on your soul, you overfed pig," she snarled. She began backing up towards the exit, the patrons clearing for her.

Auger laughed for a short moment, though he kept his hands up.

"First folk to take her down gets an ounce of gold from me, but I need her alive," he chuckled.

Cole thought folks would jump on the idea of an entire ounce of gold just for subduing some tiny farmer, but with the gun in hand, none of them seemed too happy to get the gold at the trade of their own life. A few folks seemed edgy, almost ready to jump at her, but none budged.

Cole considered an ounce of gold and how it could give him a nice vacation for a while. And as he watched the chance slowly dwindle, he figured he'd have the best chance at capturing her compard to the rest.

He then waited. The farmer kept backing up, giving just a few quick glances behind her to see if anyone was up to the challenge. Cole tried not to look suspicious, but he wasn't sure if he were doing a good job or not.

The farmer was nearly next to him, and with a few more steps -

He lunged forward, like a cougar on its pray, and grabbed the wrist that held the gun. He twisted her wrist, the metal piece hitting the floor with a loud clunk.

"Screw off!" she demanded through grit teeth, and Cole was impressed with how feisty she was.

With the gun gone, he placed both his arms around her neck. She struggled ferociously, as any prey would, but he was quicker. He wasn't one to hurt a lady who seemed innocent, but he considered capturing her a better fate than if Auger had, and so with a solid punch, he knocked her cheek and she fell unconscious with a gasp. Cole held her body a moment longer, but when he was sure she was out, he put her to the ground.

"I'll be damned, son!" Auger said, clapping his hands. Soon the entire bar was clapping for him. "I ought to make you deputy here. Seems Holier can't get his head on straight," Auger insulted, but Holier paid no attention to him, dabbing his nose with his shirt sleeve.

"Holier, when you're done pissing around, take her to jail. And hurry! If she wakes up and escapes, I'll scalp you!"

Holier nodded and went to the farmer's body. He tried to lift her on his own, but failed, and so Carter rushed in to help.

"Nice job, Cole!" Carter praised, picking up the farmers legs and carrying her out of the bar with Holier.

"Cole, right? I have some business to attend to, as you may have guessed, but if you're lookin' to sell again, come see me tomorrow, and I'll get you that gold I promised! One full ounce. Get yourself some rest now, though, as I can bet how famished you are." Auger dusted his suit of and started to leave the bar.

"Bar keep, whatever this man drinks is on me," Auger told proudly. The bartender nodded, but Cole didn't feel like drinking anymore. He had too many questions regarding what just happened and who the farmer was. Moreso, who Auger really was. And as the man walked out of the bar, Cole wondered what dark secrets Hitchens may be hiding.


	2. Chapter 2

Cole had been at the trading post for three hours and had already sold two more pieces of bison fur to an old man. Auger nor the deputy had shown themselves in the post, and Cole wondered if he were being avoided, or if they were just preoccupied with other business. He definitely wanted his gold, but even with the prospect of payment, he was weary to see Auger.

"I can't believe you took the Gun down!" Cole hadn't noticed that the old woman was back in her stall, his mind trying to figure out what exactly happened last night.

"The Gun?" he repeated.

"Yes, the Gun!" she exclaimed.

"Kay the Gun, feller. She's the best shooter here in Hitchens and a notorious thief. She's got warrants all around, I hear, but nobody seems to ever come lookin' for her here. I'm guessin' your ignorance helped you." It was a man at the booth across from Cole speaking.

"Is that so? Seemed more like a deer, to me. Too jumpy," Cole criticized. Maybe he was trying to boost his own ego, but he had had no real trouble subduing her.

"She's always been that way. Personally, I'm surprised she can keep her hand steady to shoot."

"Poor thing," the old woman mumbled.

Cole stood around for a while, but nobody seemed too eager to buy anything. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted his gold, but Hitchens was giving him a feeling he didn't like. Its citizens were stranger and Auger stranger, and he felt the longer he stayed, the more trouble he was going to get involved with.

He began to pack his goods. He had sold and traded enough to make the trip worth his time. He could travel up from Hitchens, as he had heard of another small town named Mercy, but he'd likely go back down the Al river, back to familiar territory.

"You leavin' already, hero?" Auger called, walking down to Cole's wing of the trading post. Cole didn't look back to him.

"I've got other business to take care of," Cole said, placing each fur in his bag.

"That's nonsense! Before you head out, come with me to my office! I like your style, and I've got an offer I don't think you'll refuse."

Cole kept cleaning his booth, trying to think of a way out of the situation. Auger stood tall on the other side, though, an endearing smile on his face. When Cole packed up, he sighed, knowing trouble had already found him within the small town.

He followed Auger out of the trading post, which was already intriguing and concerning Cole. They went to the farthest right wing of the cross shape to a small, decorated building.

Inside was a waiting room, a desk, and a small decorated office with leather furniture and antique goods. Cole was surprised, not having taken Auger for the fancy type.

"Take a seat, boy. This is big. Now, listen, do you know what you did last night?" Auger asked, sitting behind the desk and lighting a cigarette.

Cole shook his head, as he wasn't sure what part Auger was referring to.

"You took down Kay the Gun! Our roughest outlaw and the best shooter in town! She likes to stir up trouble, which usually isn't too much of an issue. But she went too far yesterday."

Auger took a long draw off his cigarette, puffing the smoke to the side.

"She stole something from me. Not sure why, but I got word she's the one who took it. So, as anyone would do, I tried to get it back. She didn't cooperate too well, and as you saw last night, you know where I'm at with it now."

"What does this have to do with me, sir?" Cole asked, a little fed up with Auger's stalling.

"I'm getting' there! I see you're a strong man, with little to fear! I like that! You saw our deputy, Holier. He's worthless, I tell ya'. So, how'd you feel about being Hitchen's new deputy? Or, at least, be in the runnin' for it."

Cole stood up and waved dismissively, knowing trouble when it appeared.

"I'm not interested. I've been involved in the law before, and it just idn't for me."

"Now hold up just a minute, son! We really need someone with a backbone here! We're pretty quiet, here in Hitchens, but thieves are everywhere!" he exclaimed, adding extra emphasis on the word 'everywhere'

"Why, just the other day, our local feed store was robbed, and not a soul ran after 'em! Not even Holier! What kind of deputy is that?"

Auger was hoping Cole would respond, he could tell, but Cole kept his blank expression. None of what Auger mentioned was his business.

"Just give it a chance, Mr. Cole."

"You don't even know my full name. How do you know you can trust me?"

"I ain't worried about your name, kid. Just what you can do for this town," Auger assured.

"Do you even have the authority to do this?" Cole wagered. He was becoming irritated with Auger's persistence.

"Do I have the authority? You don't even know much about me! I'm the sheriff of Hitchens! Of course I have the authority!"

"Sheriff?" Cole thought out loud. Carter had never mentioned that information at the bar, and Cole was instantly suspicious.

"Yes, the sheriff! It's why I'm so fed up with Holier! Now, for each robbery or raid or whatever you thwart away, you'll get two dollars. For each criminal hanged, you'll get twentieth ounce of gold. That's just what happens IF you become deputy." Auger paused and clasped his hands together.

"Kay the 'Gun' stole something from me, and I don't know where it is. We were gonna' raid her house, but I hear she's got siblings out in that area, and I wouldn't wanna' scare them to death. She's rottin' away in jail right now, and as soon as I find out where my precious object is, she'll hang. I need you to see if you can find it."

Cole thought about it for just a moment, wagering the idea of set pay. He wouldn't deny he liked the freedom he had, though, and the lack of responsibility. But it was a lot to take in, especially since he had been doing all of it alone.

"If I find what you're lookin' for, what do I get?"

"Well, if you find it, whether you become deputy or not, I'll triple your reward from last night. Three ounces of gold, in full. If you don't, however, you get nothing. But, I'll let you leave right now with the ounce from last night, if you want. It's really just your call, Mr. Cole." Auger puffed his cigarette again and gave a cheap grin, his teeth yellowed from assumed years of cigarette use.

Three ounces of gold would set Cole for months. He couldn't particularly think of what he'd do with all his free time, but he'd be even freer to his own will. Maybe he'd buy some property and just raise animals for fur, instead of hunting them down. It was the cheap way out, and he wasn't old enough to even consider retirement, but the fantasy in his head played out wonderfully.

Had Ned still been alive, though, he'd have knocked him out for thinking like that. He knew his life was sold to the outdoors. Even still, three ounces of gold would certainly be a perk, something to let him have more time to nature.

"Okay, Auger. I'll try to find it. But tell me, what is it you're after?" Cole asked, picking his pack from the wooden floor.

"Just a simple piece of paper, is all. I reckon Kay's the only one with any idea where it might be, but since you're the one finding it, I'll let you figure your own ways of doing things."

Auger hauled himself up and walked towards the door of his office.

"You can use whatever form of 'interrogation' you want, son. She's hanging once we find it, anyways, so who's gonna' care what happened to a law breaker?"

"You've got three days to find that paper. If you can't find it, I recon you won't be back in Hitchens. But, I have faith in ya' boy." Auger nodded in acknowledgment of Cole before walking out of his office. Cole wasn't sure if his last words were a threat, a recommendation, or both, and he didn't really want to find out the hard way.

"You're askin' to get shot," Cole muttered to himself.

With his new task in hand, he thought about the best way to approach the issue. Kay was obviously the first place to seek information, but Cole had a feeling she wouldn't cooperate with the man that knocked her out. She had never got a good look at his face in the bar, though, so maybe she wouldn't know the difference.

He walked across town to the Hitchens' jail. It was in even worse shape than the bar, with half of the front rotting away. Cole was amazed that a place used to house criminals was so poorly cared for, but it wasn't important.

The inside wasn't clearly lit, with Cole barely able to see the five jail cells along the back wall. Cole recognized Holier sitting in the center of the room, his nose bandaged and papers in hand.

"Oh, what can I do fer you?" he asked. Cole hoped Holier hadn't recognize him from the bar.

"I've been sent from Auger to speak with Kay," Cole answered.

Holier snorted and slapped his papers on the desk.

"Ol' fool's tryna' replace me again! I can't believe it! Well, you wanna' talk to her, then there she is! But there's no way you'll be replacin' me! I'm the best there's ever been!" Holier hooted in an obnoxious voice, running his fingers along his papers.

Cole looked back into the cells. Only three of the five were occupied, one with a man, another with a woman, and the last one had Kay. She was sitting against the wall, her eyes focused on the ground. Had she heard Holier and him speaking, she didn't show it.

"Kay?" Cole asked, walking up to the bars of her cell.

At first, she didn't reply, and Cole was prepared to pry the information from her like rocks off a railroad track.

"Kay the Gun?" he asked, a little louder than before.

"Yes, sir?" she sarcastically replied.

"I'm here by word of Auger. Now, I hear you stole somethin' from him. Might that be true?" Cole asked.

"I ain't stole a thing off that cow. What's mine is mine, and that's all there is to it," Kay stated, folding her arms. Cole thought she was being defiant, but after she crossed them, he could see she was shivering. The evening air was chilling with fall on the horizon, but he didn't feel the jail was all too cold.

"That idn't how I've heard it, ma'am. I don't want this to be any more difficult than it needs to be, and I say you want outta' here, so why don't you just work with me here?" Cole offered. He wasn't much of a negotiator, but if need be, he could intimidate for pay.

"That idn't what you heard? If a rattlesnake told you he wouldn't venomous, and you'd never met one before, wouldn't you be likely to believe him?" Kay asked Cole. She stood up and walked over to the bars in front of where he stood.

"Besides, I'm still hangin', even if I tell you. Auger will get tired of watin', and he'll kill me, and he'll go lookin' himself. He's just a lazy bastard!" Kay snorted.

Holier laughed from his desk, but he said nothing to the two. His snort of a laugh was cut short when gun shots outside made him jump.

"Hold it, I'm comin'!" he shouted, practically flying over his desk and out the door. Cole ignored the sounds.

"What if I convinced him not to hang you, though?" Cole reasoned.

"That idn't happenin'. I'm dead, at the end of it all. Auger does what Auger wants." Kay sighed and sat back to the cold ground.

"I assure you others will be after me soon, too, once word gets out I have that item. And even if I returned the item, he'd make my life hell." Her head rested on the wooden wall of the cell, and she closed her eyes. " Not that it idn't already, but I've no interest in working with you or him."

Cole looked at the farmer for a long while, trying to find where her truth might be. She was right that he'd just barged into town, with no prior knowledge of it, and everything was new to him. He could be friends with a snake, but he wouldn't know the difference. However, he had a job to do, and he intended to do it for his own sake.

"Kay, do you have the paper?" Cole asked, a little more direct than before.

"Yes, it's a paper he want's, idn't it? Well, I do have it, but not on me. And like I said before, none of you rocks are gettin' it. I'll die before I tell you!"

Cole thought for a moment, and he had an idea that was unconventional, but possibly a good solution that could directly benefit everyone involved. It was something Auger nor Holier would have been fond of if they knew, but he didn't particularly care.

Cole lowered his voice so the other two inmates wouldn't hear him.

"What if I get you outta' here?"

Kay took a deep breath, but shook her head before she even had time to think on the offer.

"Oh, no. Not worth it," she dismissed.

"Well, if you got kin waitin' on you, what's more important? Keeping Auger's paper from him, or keeping them alive?" Cole asked. He wasn't sure if that threat made much sense, but he used it anyways.

"How you know I got kin?" she asked, standing back up, eyes wide in the darkness of her cell.

"Auger."

"That bastard!" she yelled.

She hit the bars in front of her, a look of anguish on her face. Cole let her have her moment.

"Alright, mister. I have a wager. Get me outta' here, and I'll take you to the area the paper is at. You'll have to find it yourself from there. After that, you can tell Auger I've died or whatever you wanna' do. Just buy me enough time to get me and my siblings out of this area. You're right; it idn't worth it."

Cole was surprised he had managed to change her mind so quickly. He wasn't stupid, though, and letting her free could be the biggest mistake he made.

"I'll get you out of here, but you're goin' in handcuffs, and stayin' with me til' we find the paper. Once we find it, I'll let you go, and I'll give you enough time to leave. I'll figure the rest out from there." Cole hoped the idea could be foolproof. The only downside he thought of was if Kay gave him the wrong paper, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

"Aw, Christ. That's how it's gonna' be?" She grit her teeth and twitched her fingers. Cole knew he would have a hard time working with her, but he wasn't going to give up at that point.

"Fine, fine. We'll do it that way. But God so help me, if you lose the keys to the cuffs, I'm gonna' tear you apart!" she threatened.

Cole only smirked at her comment, remembering how easily he had taken her down at the bar.

"Now, how to get you outta' here…" Cole said, turning back to look at Holier's desk. He had left all his supplies sitting on top of it, but Cole couldn't just take a prisoner at will. He was astonished at Holier's lack of competence during his job.

"Tell Holier you're takin' me to Grahn to change my mind or something. Interrogation. Grahn is the mine. A lot of prisoners choose to go there as slaves instead of hangin' or servin' time."

"Is that so?" Cole asked, a little intrigued by the idea.

"Yes, sir."

Holier walked back in, wiping his head with a towel.

"Them's the craziest bastards I ever did see! I swear!" he said.

"Holier, I'm taking Kay here to Grahn. She doesn't wanna' talk with me willingly, so I guess we're gonna' make her. I've got permission from Auger to do what it takes to get what he wants."

"Oh, now, you can't go alone!" Holier protested, but more gunfire rang outside.

"That damn Rack family! I swear! Fine, take that whore down there. But Auger'll skin ya' alive if you mess up!" Holier threatened, and Cole didn't doubt the threat. He wasn't scared of the man, though, as Holier appeared to be.

"That won't be a problem," Cole assured. Holier snorted again before nodding.

"So be it!" he yelled before running back out of the jail.

Cole walked over to the desk and took a ring of keys and a pair of handcuffs. He tested the keys to see which one opened the cuffs, and when he found the right key, he went to open Kay's cell.

"Put your hands through here," Cole said, tapping on the spot there food was given to the prisoners. She complied, and once she was secured, he opened the cell.

"Let's be quick, mister..." she paused, looking at him with a curious glance.

"Colton White. But call me Cole." Getting on formalities with the prisoner wasn't the best idea, but he needed her cooperation as much as possible.

"Let's be quick, Mr. White. I've got more important things to tend to than your all's games," Kay informed.

"Well, it'd be quicker if you'd tell me exactly where the paper's at," Cole answered.

"Nah. I've suffered enough as of late. Now it's everyone else's turn."

"You're feisty for a little thing," Cole hummed.

"Just shut up and find a horse. Prolly some outside."

She was right; two horses were tied outside of the jail, both stomping their feet idly.

"You can take one of them. They're just the horses Holier uses to get around, but he's terrified of riding them. He ain't gonna' miss one."

"What kind of deputy _is_ Holier?" Cole asked as he helped the cuffed farmer onto the horse.

"The worst kind. Now, we're heading to a nice place called Pactolus. It's not too terribly far from here, really," she admitted.

Cole mounted the horse in front of her, and with a kick, set off in the direction Kay told.

"Now, how can I be sure you're not leadin' me into a horde of bandits, miss?" Cole asked as the horse galloped past the last buildings of Hitchens.

"Please. Do I seem like a lass with a following?" Kay scoffed.

"Well, folks seem pretty nervous of Kay the Gun, Cole reasoned.

"Aw, Hell. That idn't nothing. I hunt for the lazy and sick out here, and that's about it. Got a bad name thanks to a few, and I s'pose I'm not as good as I could be. But, honestly, these folks out here aren't worth the ground they walk on. And there idn't no bandits!"

"You better hope that's true, for your sake."

The evening sun was casting a warmer glow than what was in the jail, and Cole enjoyed being on horse back again. It was a luxury he hadn't had in a while.

The two rode in silence, leaving Cole time to think about the situation he had gotten himself in. Auger was a hefty fellow who seemed mighty sly, and Kay the Gun didn't seem much more of a threat than a bluebird. Besides some quick cash, he couldn't think of any moral reasons he was still running around Hitchens. He knew he couldn't quit now, though, with three ounces of gold just sitting on the table in front of him. For a moment, he feared he was turning into Magruder, the selfish fool who had tried on multiple occasions to kill Cole. He was desperate for some cash, and as such, was running into a situation with no idea what was ahead.

He shivered mentally, just lightly, at the idea of being anything like Magruder. He had killed nobody for the gold. He was actually saving someone, a criminal, for it. He was nothing like Magruder, and never would be.

"Hold up, stud. We're nearing Pactolus. Few houses around here so watch your step," Kay said.

"What did you call me?"

"Just pay attention to where we're going. One wrong turn takes you up towards Grahn, and nobody but prisoners and officials allowed in there," Kay warned.

"Why's that?" Cole asked.

"Not sure. They're real secretive about what happens up there. Only time a prisoner comes outta' there is when they're dead. I've heard good prisoners get to see their family members sometimes, but I ain't ever witnessed it myself. I just know, you go onto their property without official business, they'll blow your head clean off."

"Seems like all the folk around here are friendly," Cole muttered.

A small sign on the path told him they were in Pactolus. It was mostly covered in green hills and a few trees, with a small path winding through them. Cole could see how Kay easily hid the paper in the area.

"What made you steal a paper from Auger? Why's it so important to him, and to you?" Cole asked, slowing the horse's gate to a simple trot. He didn't actually expect an answer, but he had to find a way to squelch his curiosity.

"None of your concern. I recommend you don't read it once you get it, lest you want Auger to tear into ya'." Kay shuffled awkwardly, her body constantly tensing as she tried not to fall off the horse. Cole found it just a little funny, and at times would send the horse onto a loose gate just to see how much she could throw her off.

"Y'all seem mighty scared of that fellow, Gun," Cole said as he mentally scoped the mountains for what might possibly be a good hiding spot. Truthfully, though, he had no ideas, and he knew he was relying far too much on her working with him.

"Auger's just a businessman. He don't care about no one, no how. Just money, profits and himself. You'd get more sympathy from a rock."

"Seemed well enough to me. Let me sell my kills there for free," Cole added.

"I imagine he was gettin' somethin' from it. He loves money, and I mean, loves it. Has plenty of it, but always wants more. Guess I can't blame him. We all want money somehow. I bet you're gettin' paid for this recovery mission, ain't you, stud?"

"That's none of your business. And my name is Cole, I told you, so use it as you should."

"I'll show ya' right, cowboy," she muttered.

She became silent, and for a moment, Cole was relieved, but her silence didn't last long, and for good reason.

"Cole. Cole, shit, those are bandits!" she grunted, nudging her right shoulder into his back. He looked that way and, sure as fire were four men on horseback.

"You set that up?" he asked, kicking the horse to make it run faster, Kay nearly falling off.

"Damnit, Cole, how could I do that? I've been in jail all night, and with you all day! Just keep runnin' straight, cowboy, and we'll lose 'em in the hills!" Kay demanded, but Cole wasn't listening. He wasn't the type to run from anything, let alone some pesky bandist.

"Hell's fire, they're gettin' here quick!" ahe shouted.

It was just the type of thing Cole needed to get his blood pumping.


	3. Chapter 3

Cole steered the horse towards the oncoming bandits. He could hear them yelling out war cries, their guns waving loosely in the air.

"Damn!" Kay gasped as the hooves of the bandit's horses stirred up the dirt around them. Cole stopped the horse, and the four bandits circle around them, the night nearly behind them. They were a rough looking bunch, but Cole considered them all to be jokes.

"Oh, boy. Look at that girl there! Haven't I seen yer face somewhere?" one of the bandits asked, an ugly mustache on his mug.

Kay only squinted in disgust at the man.

"Speak English, kid?" another bandit, large and shaven headed, in an almost calm tone.

"Yes, _I_ do. I was just astonished that this pig here was able to speak to me!" she said, nodding towards the first bandit that had spoken.

"Well, miss! How about yer friend? He know what I'm sayin?"

"It'd be hard not to with how loud you're speakin'," Cole answered.

"I ain't met a group like this in a while! I like it! Now, tell me , you two, whatcha got in them saddlebags? Anything worthwhile?" the fellow asked. The group had lowered their guns, each of their beady eyes watching Cole's every movement. He would've loved the target practice, but he was on a time limit. Before he could try to talk his way out of the situation, though, Kay spoke to them.

"You're Markus, right? Halier DeGripp's brother?"

The man's face fell into a frown.

"How you know that?"

"Please, your face is all over the place on wanted posters! You know that!" All the bandits seemed to nod at her words, as if they were proud of the work.

"Well, I'll give you a little bit of information if you let us pass through here this time. On my way to Grahn. You know how it works, fellas."

Markus, the apparent leader of the bandits, shifted uncomfortably on his horse. The other three looked at him with intense glares, awaiting his answer.

"We'll see how good the information is. Go on, girly," Markus finally decided, nodding his head towards her.

"I hear you and Halier have a nice rivalry goin' on. Well, Halier is, of course, the deputy down there at Hitchens, and with that in mind, he's workin' up a big search party for y'all. He knows where you're at, of course, but he wants to make a big deal out of it. I say in the next week he'll be out here with more guns and manpower than you'll be pleased to see."

Markus sneered when she finished. His horse became bored and stomped in defiance, but he kicked it in reprimand.

"Is that so? Oh Halier is tryna' take me down, finally?"

"I won't be comin' through here again, since I'll be at Grahn, so all I ask is ya' let us pass through here just once." Cole knew that was a lie. He would be coming back through on his own time. But he wasn't going to stop her attempts at avoiding confrontation.

Markus was torn from his thought of Halier, it seemed, considering her words.

"Grahn's the complete opposite way of here. You're a little ways out to be goin' up there, aren't ya'?" he asked suspiciously.

"Takin' the long route. Ain't too happy to be goin' up there," Kay admitted.

Markus looked back over his group, snorting more than his horse. They all said nothing and offered no advice in their looks. With a heavy sneer and a spit of tobacco onto the ground, he nodded.

"Fine. Make sure yer' friend here gives Halier the message that, the next time I see him, I'll become an only child!" The men around him laughed. Markus kicked his horse and it set off, his bandits following close behind the way they had come.

When they were gone to the horizon, Cole kicked the horse back towards the path, wishing to waste no more time on petty interactions with pathetic excuses for bandits.

"Is what you said true?" he asked.

"Somewhat. Halier's wanted to take Markus down for quite some time. Halier's law, and Markus is far from it, so it's been a bit of a rivalry. But, Halier hasn't ever gone through with an attack. Think it's cuz' he really doesn't want to kill his own brother. I don't really know, though."

The two rode for a bit more before Kay told Cole to stop, shouldering him again.

"That paper he's wantin' is around here somewhere. Good luck findin' it."

"You said you'd tell me where it's at!" Cole scolded, stepping off the horse, taking its reigns. Kay worked to keep her balance without her hands to hold her up.

"I've been thinking about it since you and I met, and I really have no obligation to you. Not you, not Halier, and certainly not Auger." After struggling for a moment, Kay slid off the horse, landing to the ground with a painful thud.

At that moment, Cole pulled his revolver form its holster and placed the barrel to her head. He had expected, as most did, for her to start begging for her life, but instead, she simply stared him down by the barrel of his gun.

"Now hold up. Did I not save your life from them bandits?"

Cole cocked the hammer of his gun, his eyes barely slits at her insult.

"If you knew the Hell I've been through, you'd know I didn't need your help back. I'm plenty capable."

She twitched her nose in an unpleasant manner towards him.

"Is that so? Then why you even bringin' me along, stud?" she asked.

Cole inhaled, a thousand words ready to burst from him, but he only exhaled the breath in near silence. He pulled the trigger of his gun, Kay barely flinching. There was only the click from an empty chamber, echoing into the night.

"Remember something. You're the only one benefiting from this mission. If anything, Gun, you'll owe me by the time it's over."

Cole turned back to the hills of Pactolus. The territory was new to him, but still simple. It was to his dismay he couldn't think of the first place Kay may have hidden a simple paper, however, and his confidence began to dissipate. He had to wonder if she really had it hidden anywhere but Pactolus.

"Cole," Kay began.

Cole didn't turn to face her.

"See that barn up on that hill?"

Cole couldn't miss the thing, blatantly burnt and decrepit against the lush hills, but he had a strong feeling she wouldn't hide it so obviously. She seemed wittier than he would ever give her credit for.

"Bottom of the hill is a mine. Goes pretty far back, but that's it. Caved off forever ago. Anyways, it's in there. Bottom right corner of the rocks blocking it. Move some of them, dig, you'll find it."

Surprised, but relieved, Cole simply nodded in response to her confession. He knew his act with his gun had knocked some sense into her.

"But let's get it done quick so I can get home."

He stepped back to the horse, wondering for just a moment if Kay were worth trusting. An ambush could be hidden somewhere behind the hill.

He seriously had to question his recent life choices, but it wasn't the first time he'd worked for the law under no prior knowledge of the suspect. He'd apprehended dozens of suspects from wanted posters, some dead, some alive, and had even worked for the sheriff of an old town called Dodge. He was tired of feeling so suspicious of everything, and decided to stop being so tight about it. He would do the job and leave Hitchens.

Without further discussion, he helped Kay onto the horse and they set off for the hill. It was a quick trip, but the mine wasn't readily visible when they dismounted.

"Way over there, hidden by the grass."

And sure enough, there was the entrance, falling apart and nearly blocked. Cole took a small oil lantern from his pack, the mine uninviting. His lantern lit up rocks and dirt blocking most of the entrance, hardly big enough for her to go in. As such, Kay slipped through the fallen entrance easily, but Cole had a harder time.

The mine was small, and as such, Cole made Kay walk in front of him. The lantern did little to light the darkness, the moon outside slowly fading the further in they went. Cole's worries of ambush faded, too, as no person would be able to properly fight within the mine's walls.

"Here it is. Caved in some time ago, but the rocks at the bottom are still loose. If you take these cuffs off, I'll dig it out for you."

Even in the dark, Kay could see Cole's distrust of her.

"Tell me now, Stud. Where am I gonna' run to? Anyways, wasn't it agreed I go free if I give you that damn paper?"

"I reckon so," Cole answered.

"Then let me dig, so we can part ways."

Cole finally obliged, but he made sure to block the path directly behind her as she dug, his broad shoulders nearly touching each side of it. She moved a few rocks from the bottom of the boulder pile, and soon she had a small spot cleared. She dusted away some dirt with her hand, and Cole began to see something in the cleared spot.

Kay stopped digging, leaving an eerie silence in the mine.

"It's not here."

Cole didn't respond.

"Cole, it's not here."

She stood up, dirt-covered hands around something. Cole placed the lamp closer to see her holding a bag that wine would normally go in. When she opened it, only a white object fell out, and Cole recognized the bear skull he had sold to her the day before.

"What's that doing here?" Cole asked.

"It's a long story. But, the paper isn't here. I buried it with the skull, and now it's gone!"

Cole crouched down to the spot to check that Kay wasn't lying to him, but she was truthful. The spot had been dug deep, the only spot in the back of the mine worth hiding anything in.

"You best not be playing a game with me," Cole warned, wondering if it indeed was anywhere but there. It could have even been hidden somewhere else in the mine.

"It was here, along with a few…other things. Nobody came with me, so I ain't got a clue where it could be!"

Cole didn't want to believe her, but her panic seemed real enough. She clutched the bear skull so tightly that Cole expected it to splinter.

There was a quiet thud towards the mouth of the mine. Kay didn't seem too interested, but it greatly concerned Cole. It was followed by a few more thuds, and by then, Kay seemed interested in the sounds, too. She slowly placed the skull back on the ground, her eyes staying towards the mine front. Cole took the moment to reload his revolver, which had been empty for some time.

Coming in from the mouth of the cave were shadows, small, crouching, and slow. Kay took a deep breath and held it, and Cole made his gun was ready for whatever awaited them.

The sadow lunge at him, and he shot, bringing down whatever it had been with a muffled cry and a thump. It didn't die, though, its figure crawling on the ground towards the two.

"Go!" Cole ordered, running towards the mine front. Kay followed silently, though their footsteps reverberated behind them.

They practically bound out of the mind, Cole squeezing through the rocks, only to land in front of a pack of dirty gray wolves. The first thing Cole noticed was their size. They were immense for wolves, their muscles rippling in anticipation under their dull fur coats. They seemed rough and, though muscular, hungry and weak.

"Hell. Don't move, these things will shred you."

Kay scoffed.

"You've no idea."

The wolves, five in total, including what had been one in the mine, stood around them. They snarled and snorted, yellow teeth promising death to Cole and Kay, claws digging irritably in the grass.

There was a whistling somewhere nearby, and then the wolves attacked. Cole was a quick shot, but the wolves were quicker. One knocked him to the ground and bit at his leg, its jaws practically locking on the limb. Cole used his free leg to repeatedly kick its muzzle, and after a few hits, it let go. He used the free second to shoot the mutt in its forehead, and it fell dead with little sound, blood splattering his vest.

Another wolf jumped for his throat, but he used the butt of his gun to knock it down, giving it two shots before it finally died. He only had two bullets, but three wolves remained. Kay had no weapons, and when he looked back at her at the mine entrance, she was struggling ferociously with the wolf that had attacked them in the dark. Its neck oozed blood on to Kay, its mouth inches from her face. She tried punching at its forehead, but the wolf was stronger.

Cole raised his hand to shoot the wolf, but another one went for his foot. He fell to one knee and pulled his knife from his belt.

"Kay!" he shouted to her, tossing the knife to her side.

She grunted and struggled a little more with the wolf. With her knee, she pushed the wolf off, long enough to grab the knife. The wolf came back at full steam, but Kay was ready. When it jumped upon her, she jabbed its side. It whimpered and crawled off of her, but she was merciful, smashing the knife down into its skull. It twitched and fell dead.

The wolf that was attacking him began dragging him, but he was able to shoot it before it got far with him. Kay was moving to jump on it, when another whistle hissed into the air. The wolf barked a few times before turning and running off into the fields of Pactolus. Cole shot the last bullet in his chamber, and thanks to his aim, it fell over.

"Christ, man, are you okay?" Kay asked.

Cole's leg burned and ached, but he had suffered worse. He needed to clean it before it became infected, but he would live.

"I'm good. You?"

"Fine. A few bites, but I'm alive."

Kay held Cole's knife out to him, and once his senses calmed, he was surprised.

"Ain't gonna' try and kill me?" Cole asked.

"I don't want you dead. I just want to go home."

Cole took the gun from her and wiped it off before putting it back in his belt.

"Besides, Stud. That's a steady hand. I'd lose."

She smirked and turned back towards the mine entrance, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I've no idea what's happened. Paper's lost and everything else I had. Except for that skull."

Cole walked over to where the horse had stood. It lay on the ground, dead and practically dismembered. Kay walked with him and scrunched her face at the mess.

"Oh, great. It'll be morning by the time we return to Hitchens. So, I guess we best start walking."

"I don't know. It doesn't seem too smart to be walkin' out here at night. Especially with the folks we've encountered," Cole said, looking up the path they had rode.

"That's true, but I think we'd be sittin' ducks, here. We don't even have the proper supplies to make a campsites. Not to mention, if I show my face back at Hitchens without paper in hand, Auger'll have me dead. I can't imagine he'll be too happy with you, either, if you're the one supposed to find it for him."

She was right. Auger seemed to passively be threaten him if he didn't return with the paper in hand.

"You have no idea who could have taken the paper?" Cole asked.

"None. You think I'm lyin', but I've got kin that need me, and every minute out here is a minute they're alone and defenseless. It's strange, because I hid it so specifically, that even if someone had followed me in to the mine, they probably never would have found it."

"Are there any camps around here? Bandits? Indians?"

"Markus' bandits are around here somewhere, but I don't know if they're really…capable of such a plan."

"It's a start." Cole picked his supplies from the body of the dead horse, few items stained with blood.

"It is? You really want to go straight into a camp of bandits?" Kay asked.

"Wouldn't be the first time. Since you've no idea where the paper is, I don't need you now," Cole answered, walking on past Kay.

"Hold up, that idn't so. You've no idea where Markus' camp is, and even then, any paper could be what you're lookin' for! Why, they could hand you your own wanted poster, and you wouldn't know the difference! You do need me!"

Cole found her desperation a little humorous. She seemed afraid of being left out of the mission for the paper. Cole had to admit she had taken down the wolf without hesitation, so it was possible she was still useful to him. She hadn't even shown fear with his gun to her forehead.

"Alright. Take me to the camp. And you know, I'll leave the cuffs off for now, so if we need to fight, we can. But the second you run, I'll put you down like that wolf."

"Yeah, sure thing, Stud. The camp's back the way we came, up near the river Al. You probably passed it on your way up here. Occasionally, they like to ambush smaller boats."

Kay started walking towards the path, and Cole followed her.

"How many does he have in that gang?"

"Not sure. Around ten, I'm thinking. He always leaves some back at the camp, though, so it's never empty. How many bullets you got, Cole?"

"Plenty enough," Cole answered.

He wasn't too worried about a few bandits with trigger issues. His mind still weighed on the wolves that had attacked them. Something wasn't right about the attack. Wolves weren't so methodical in their ways. As they walked, Cole thought if something larger and more dangerous were hidden in the area besides some bandits.


End file.
